Belichick: "We're all accountable"

The Sports Xchange

01/14/2010

The New England Patriots were not themselves in their last playoff game -- a 33-14 drubbing at the hands of the Baltimore Ravens. Head coach Bill Belichick wasn't willing ot target one aspect of the organization, instead saying that everyone was accountable for that debacle.

Even the most optimistic Patriots fan wouldve had a hard time envisioning a scenario in which this years team couldve gone on the road in the playoffs and won two crucial road games after struggling away from home throughout the regular season.

Likewise, even the most pessimistic critic wouldve had a hard time making an argument against the Patriots vs. Baltimore this past weekend at home, where they finished 8-0 in 2010 and had already beaten the Ravens earlier this season.

This, as they say, is why they play the games. In what might classify as an even bigger surprise than the outcome of Super Bowl XLII, the Patriots suffered their most shocking defeat in the Bill Belichick era, getting lambasted Sunday, 33-14, in the Wild-Card playoff round at Gillette Stadium.

Even without Wes Welker, who injured his knee in the season finale, the Patriots figured to be the favorites against a mistake-prone Ravens team that hadnt shown the ability to win big road games or throw the ball effectively on a consistent basis.

Still, the Ravens jumped out to an early 24-0 lead in the opening quarter behind Ray Rices hard-nosed running and a defense that took advantage of quarterback Tom Bradys early mistakes. The deficit was far too much to overcome -- even for these Patriots -- and New England walked off the field stunned after a loss even more deflating than the one to the Giants two years ago.

There really wasnt much to feel good about in (Sundays) performance all the way around, head coach Bill Belichick said. Were all accountable for it. It starts with me. We worked long and hard this season and to finish that way is certainly a big disappointment for all of us, everybody involved.

While the time for mourning hasnt ended yet, the offseason process Belichick spoke of Monday will begin immediately. This is his way of suggesting there could be changes both on the coaching staff and with the on-field personnel. The entire team, from top to bottom, will begin self-evaluating to see which areas need to be improved upon in order to get this franchise back to prominence next season.

Said Belichick: The first thing we do is try to evaluate our team in all the things that we do -- how much motion do we use, how each player played, what type of progress was made or wasnt made, if there was a direction -- whichever way the progress was going, whether going forward or if it was declining, and take a look at the team going forward in terms of what players we have, what players we dont have and then gradually make determinations on how to improve those things.

Well take a look at all of our practices, all of our minicamps, training camp schedules, all those things. Weve done that a little bit along the way, but then we put all that together and discuss it, whether its as a coaching staff, or an organization, or sometimes in consultation with different players, whether its a specific situation or a group situation, whatever it happens to be. Its inevitable there will be change next year.

Considering the results of Sundays game, and the inconsistencies this team displayed all season, there must be change on the horizon, or else therell be another unhappy ending next season.

Its an ongoing process, Belichick said. It will be thorough and hopefully well make good decisions that will improve our football team.